Dress-lining



a: bid 1.)

8 E. W WHEELER.

DRESS LINING.

No. 272,813. Patented Feb. 20, 1883.

[fit/Leases:

EDWARD WHEELER,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRESS-LINING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 272,813, dated February 20, 1883.

Application filed November 20, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD \V. \VHEELER of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Linings l'orLadies Dresses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to linings for ladies dresses and other garments, and has for its object to provide a construction in these articles by which they may be manufactured and sold in quantities of assorted sizes to dry-goods dealers and others, with a view to their being selected anti purchased by the purchasers of dress-goods, and of serving in their hands as suitable guides in cutting the dress to fit the person.

To this end the invention consists in a dresslining having all its body seams and darts ready basted,and provided with an exceptionally wide hem, or, preferably, with unfolded material for such hem, at. the front margins of the garment, in order to enable the same to be varied to suit the several circumferential measurements of the person.

It also consists in a series of dress-linings as articles of manufacture, made of alternate sizes, and provided severally with material for exceptionally wide hems at the front margins of the garment, inorderto provide for the intermediate sizes, or, in other words, to provide for the adaptation ol'such s zes as are furnished to fit intermediate sizes,all as will be fully explained.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a waistlining in form as if applied to the person, and Fig. 2 is afront view of the same thrown apart in front to better illustrate the variation in width of the front hems contemplated by my invention for the purpose of adapting the lining to different figures.

A is the body of a waist-lining, having its side and other seams and its darts suitably located and basted, and having at the front margins, B B, an extra allowance of material adapted to be folded to form hems, whereby neces sary variations from the regular bust, neck, and waist measures may be provided for by a variation in the depth of the fold along these margins of the garment. Thus, to illustrate, a a may represent lines marked on thegoods at which the fold will be made in a symmetrical figure of the smallest size to which the lining will be ordinarily applicable. I) b, then, may represent such actual lines of fold as may be made in the front hems to fit the garment to somewhat irregular variations from a symmetrical form-thatis to say, the made-up lining is selected with reference to a fit at all points excepting the front bust-measure and the circumferential measurements of the waist and neck. drawn together and pinned alonga'line equally distant from both edges, such as will insure a properly close fit of the lining to the person, and the fold of the hems is made in the line of the pins, or in a line parallel and a sufficient distance outside the pins to permit the margins to overlap after the hems are completed.

By long experience and observation as a fitter of ladies dresses I have found that linings for acertain general size and class of figures may usually be adapted to all persons of the same general size and class by simply varyingthefrontbust-measure. Sometimes,however, slight variations may be additionally required for the waist and neck. It is therefore practicable to furnish linings fitted to all persons by providing in each lining sufficient material at the front margins to allow a suitable change for the larger busts. WVhen the figure is entirely symmetrical, the hem will thus be made wider, and when the front bust-size is greater the hem will be narrower. variation for waist and neck will also be provided for in the material supplied for the more frequently and more widely varying bust-size. It is thus made possible to supply linings ready made and to be kept in stock for all sizes and classes of figures, from which all persons of normal figure may select a perfect fit, all that is required being topin thefront margins, B B,

The front margins, B B, are then The less so as to make the front smooth on the person linings ready hasted and in series of alternatin g sizes-as, for example, Nos. 32, 34, 36, &c (bust-measure)and to provide such additional amplitude of material on the front margins, or at B, as will suffice to adapt the same lining to fit the next size larger-as, for example, a No. 32 will fit No. 33 bust, and so of other measurements. By means of the surplus material provided in the front margins a perfect fit may be readily obtained for any normal figure by merely folding the margins as maybe required to suit the figure, and all figures may be fitted by furnishing only one-half as many linings or garments as there are sizes and classes of figures to he provided for.

I am aware that dress-linings have been manufactured in halves-as, for example, a front and back part separate, and requiring to bejoined in the shoulder and side seams. This construction makes the aid of a second person necessary in fitting, while in the construction as above set forth the wearer is entirely able to produce the fit without assistance, since the adjustment of the front part of the lining may be accomplished solely by a movement of the arms and without distortion of the part of the body to which the lining is being fitted.

Of course it is entirely allowable and practicable,in accurately fitting the lining described to exceptional figures, to open and vary any of the seams as may be necessary and as heretofore commonly practiced by dress-makers; and a sufficient quantity of material may advisably be left at these seams or at either of them (as at the center back) for this purpose. This is not essential to my invention, however, which contemplates provision at the front of the garment for the more common variations in the size of the figure found to exist at this point.

I claim as my invention- 1. As anarticle ofmanui'acture,aready-made waist-lining having its seams and darts ba sted, and having an excessive amount of material in its front margins, whereby the garment is adapted to be folded to form the front hems in such lines as may be necessary to produce a required fit.

2. As an article of manufacture, a series of dress-linings ot'alternate sizes, each lining provided with an excessive amount of material at its front margins, whereby each lining is adapted to be fitted to a figure requiring the next larger size, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ED WARD W. \VH EELER.

Witnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, JEssE Cox, Jr. 

